Who knew protein could be such a superstar? In this episode, Liam O'Toole takes us on a journey through the world of protein, busting myths and sharing insights that will make you rethink your plate. Kicking things off with a dash of humour, Liam reflects on his early days of protein supplementation and the raised eyebrows it caused at home. But fear not! He reassures us that protein isn’t just for the muscle-bound—it’s a vital nutrient for every body out there. As we transition from the holiday snacks to our fitness resolutions, understanding the role of protein becomes even more crucial.

Liam dives into the practical side of things, discussing how his recent work with a client transformed their relationship with food. By spreading protein intake throughout the day instead of lumping it all in post-workout, the client experienced significant changes, including weight loss and reduced cravings. Who knew a bit of chicken here and there could lead to such revelations? Not only does protein help with satiety, but it also plays a significant role in tissue repair and overall health. Liam breaks down the science behind it, making it easy to digest (see what I did there?).

As we wrap up, the conversation shifts to how much protein we actually need and the best sources to choose from. Liam provides a simple guide—aim for protein at every meal, and you’re on the right track! He stresses the importance of whole foods over supplements, reminding us that real food packs a punch. So whether you’re a gym enthusiast or just trying to eat better, this episode is a friendly reminder to make protein your dietary sidekick. After all, a little protein can go a long way in helping us feel full, recover faster, and even shine a little brighter in our daily lives!

Takeaways:

• Protein isn't just for bodybuilding; it's vital for everyone's health and wellness.
• A little tweak in your diet, like adding protein at breakfast, can do wonders for satiety.
• Don't underestimate the power of protein; it's key for recovery and overall body function.
• Even if you're not lifting weights, protein helps maintain muscle and boosts fat burning.

Hello, everybody.

Welcome back to the Wicklow strength and Fitness podcast.

I apologize, we are not using the Star wars opening theme as our intro today.

You just have to dive straight in with my voice.

It's me.

It's Limo Tula.

And today's episode, we're going to talk a little bit more about protein.

So I've done a episode of this podcast based on the three main macronutrients before, but today I wanted to touch on protein because I feel in the last number of weeks alone, I think as we're kind of like getting into or getting away from January and into February, people are still focusing a lot on diet now that maybe they sorted out their routine in January to get to the gym, and now they're looking to, I guess, maximize their results from being here.

So we're looking towards the role of food in that.

And, you know, I'm not going to name the person because obviously confidentiality and privacy and things like that.

But there's a particular client that I was working with on nutrition recently.

And, you know, the biggest change we made was just introducing a little bit more protein throughout the day.

So not trying to just focus it, you know, after training, but instead distributing it evenly throughout the day.

And what we found is weight has gone down, muscle mass has gone up, and also the fullness feeling.

So the satiety got from food, it's just keeping the client fuller for longer.

So they are no longer snacking as much, which is obviously something they didn't think was going to be possible at the start.

So we were talking about, you know, healthier snacking options.

And all of a sudden, through just introducing a little bit extra protein, it's completely changed how that whole thing has gone down.

Like, there's no need to snack anymore because they're feeling full all the time.

So I think when we talk about protein, you know, I think it is still to this day a little bit misunderstood.

And like, going back, I suppose, 10, 11 years ago now, I remember bringing home my first tub of whey protein home.

And like, my mother's reaction to it was as if I just brought home, you know, anabolic steroids.

As if, like, I was just.

I'd lost my mind and I was taking some form of like, you know, crazy substance.

Like, I don't know, she was picturing kind of, I guess like the old school 80s bodybuilder scene where it was all kind of, you know, steroids and everything to go into it.

But, yeah, that's what the perception of whey protein was and then the.

There still is, I think, a little bit of confusion.

I think everybody knows protein is important, but it's still kind of just associated with the gym and muscle.

But, like, protein is just a crucial macronutrient anyway for everyone.

So whether you're a gym goer or not, you need it.

Whether it's for building muscle.

Yes.

But also just creating every other form of tissue in your body and living a healthy, balanced life.

If we're talking about satiety and not wanting to snack more, I mean, I'm pretty sure every human being who's not going to a gym needs that too.

Too.

Right?

So if you've ever wondered why protein matters beyond just looking like a bodybuilder, I guess this episode is for you.

So let's kind of get into that.

So you know what those protein actually do for your body.

Like, it is a macronutrients alongside carbohydrates and fats.

And again, refer back to the previous episode and we talked a little bit about it, but its major role is in building and repairing tissues.

So not just muscle, obviously, muscle is included in that, but also your skin, your organs.

It's also involved in enzyme production, hormone regulation, your immune function, blood cells.

You know, basically, protein is essential for your body to function properly.

It's not a choice whether or not you're going to the gym or not.

It is absolutely vital for all the systems in your body when it comes to fitness.

People obviously do think of it in the context of, like, muscle gain.

And sometimes people think of it as a recovery tool as well.

If you're giving your body protein, you're going to recover better.

And, like, that's certainly true, but that's only because we need protein to repair the muscle fibers after a workout, but we also need them.

We need protein just throughout the day.

You know, it's vital for maintaining general health.

You know, it's responsible for the production of enzymes that help digest food.

You know, it helps produce hemoglobin, which carries the oxygen throughout your bloodstream.

So in short, like, protein is vastly more important for your body than just a tool for bodybuilders or like elite athletes.

You know, people think of, oh, I don't need to supplement with protein because I'm not an athlete.

You know, if you're not eating enough protein, you probably do need to supplement with it.

But of course, you should really just start with real food.

It's an essential building block for your body and for every cell within your body.

You know, and I always get the I suppose the follow up question is a lot of people listening to this podcast, you guys know that protein is important.

You are more than likely a member of the gym or you know, me or something like that.

So you know, protein is important.

So the next question is, you know, how much protein do I actually need?

And there's so many variables to that question.

You know, the recommended daily intake depends on age, gender, activity level, and if you kind of depending on what where you Google, you'll find anything from 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per kilo of body weight.

Or if you're active, that can go up to 1.2 to 2 grams per kilo depending on like, you know, the intensity of your exercise.

You know, so if you're someone who weighs 70 kilograms, that's anywhere from 56 to 140 grams of protein per day, which is a heck of a range, right?

So it's like, how do you even decipher that?

If you're just someone googling or even asking chatgpt or something like that and you're asking how much protein do I eat?

And it gives you yes, between 56 and 140 grams.

That's a heck of a range.

So I suppose if you're a member here or even if you're not a member here, doing an in body scan is, is honestly the probably the best way and kind of talking with one our, one of our coaches to figure it out.

And away from that, I would just say if you can have protein with every meal in the day, then you're winning.

You know, when we did our habits challenge, that's something we really tried to prioritize was can we have protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner?

For guys we'd be looking for if a portion is the size of your palm.

For guys we'd be looking for two palms.

For girls, we'd be looking for one palm per meal.

Okay, that's just a rough guide.

And if you can do that at every meal, I guarantee you're probably getting close to your target.

Now if you're someone who's really active, who's coming to the gym every day, who's doing intense exercises, we probably need to increase that and then that's when we can look at supplementation.

But we should always start with trying to get as much real food in as possible for all the different varieties out there.

So you know what happens when we don't get enough protein?

You know, the protein def deficiency can lead to muscle wasting, weakened immune system, slower recovery.

You know, it can lead to that tiredness.

You know, if you're constantly coming in here to the gym, if you're constantly exercising and you're not recovering well, well then you're actually just beating yourself up over time and you're going to hit to a crash.

Right.

It'll also affect your skin, your hair, your nails, you know.

So getting enough protein is crucial for your workout.

Yes.

For your recovery from the gym.

Yes.

But also just your overall well being.

So if you're someone listening and you're only having, say, protein at dinner time, start by trying to incorporate it into your lunch too.

You know, if you're someone who never has it at breakfast, can you start trying to have it at breakfast?

You know, once or twice a week?

Whether that's adding pro.

Like if you're someone who loves porridge, simply adding some protein powder to it can be a massive change.

Right.

And it can really, really help.

So I suppose, just remember you don't need to be lifting weights to benefit from protein because in fact it's actually a key player in fat loss as well.

So it's not necessarily about just trying to gain muscle mass, which I think the, the narrative around the marketing of like with added protein products comes in.

You know, protein has a higher thermic effect compared to carbs and fats, which means your body burns more calories just to digest it.

It takes longer to break down in your body.

So the one we were saying earlier about the client doing their nutrition consultation with me and them feeling fuller and snacking less, that's because when you eat protein, you're naturally increasing the amount of calories you're burning by simply keeping it in your stomach for longer.

It takes longer to break down.

So that's crucial.

You know, if you're trying to lose body fat, it helps you resist snacking and overeating.

You know, it helps stabilize the blood sugar levels which reduces cravings and keeps your appetite in check.

If you go back to the insulin episode, we talked about that as well.

Right.

And lastly, when you're in a calorie deficit.

So if you are someone who is looking to lose fat and we are helping you with that, you know, it's easy to lose muscle mass too.

So if you're losing weight and losing fat, it's very, it's natural to start losing muscle too.

But if we eat enough protein, we can actually help preserve as much of that muscle muscle while you're losing fat.

And sometimes depending on the person, you can even gain muscle while losing fat.

So you end up with a leaner, healthier body composition in total.

You know, so, you know, we've established its importance if you're going to add it into your diet, as I said, it doesn't have to be complicated or even require supplementation.

You know, if we can aim for it at each meal, that's a great start.

If you want to go a bit further and you want to supplement, have a chat with us.

We can tell you if it's going to work out for you or if it's something that you know is maybe not necessarily needed for your diet.

But like if we can get 20 to 30 grams per meal, if we can get that one to two palm size portions per meal, you know, we're going to maximize your body's ability to use it effectively.

And I suppose just thinking, we always want to have the best possible sources, you know, proteins.

Like if we're thinking of animal proteins, we're thinking of, you know, plant based proteins.

We always want the highest quality stuff.

So we're not necessarily talking about KFC chicken here, we're talking about the chicken breast that you get from your local butcher.

We're talking about for any vegetarians or vegans, it's, it's lentils, chickpeas, you know, tofu, things like that that can add into it.

So if we can distribute it evenly throughout the day across all the meals, you will notice a huge change and a big difference in how you're feeling throughout the day and you will maximize the potential of what you're getting from your gym sessions.

So I guess to wrap up, you know, just remember protein is not just a supplement, it is a macronutrient and it is, it is an essential part of every person's diet, regardless of your fitness goals.

Okay.

Regardless of if you're a gym goer or not, if you're just an average person out walking on the street, you need to be eating protein and most people are not eating enough.

Whether you're looking to build muscle, lose fat or simply just exist, protein is key.

Start by making sure you're hitting those three meals.

If you can get that, I promise you you'll notice a huge difference straight away.

It doesn't need to come from supplements.

Whole natural foods are best.

And then we can add supplements in where needed.

So they are not the top, they are not the base of the pyramid.

They are something we can sprinkle on top when we're trying to optimize.

So if we prioritize protein at every meal, if we make it, you know, one quarter of your plate is protein, you'll really start to see the benefits in both your fitness and your overall well being.

Hell, maybe people will compliment how great your skin looks.

You never know.

So listen, thanks for tuning in today.

I hope that little touch on protein was a good reminder for you.

I hope maybe you took one or two steps from it to like actions you can do, something you can incorporate into your diet.

We've got a, we had a really good weekend at the gym here.

I know I certainly was feeling the effects of Saturday's workout with our friends from Wild Way, from CrossFit Bua and from CrossFit Ronin who came to visit us and do the, do the Throwdown.

You know, it was, it was a really good, really good time and I'm looking forward to kind of more, more weekends like that, I guess with the open coming up.

So listen, this has been a shorter episode today.

I thought it would take us longer to get through that, but you know, we, we did well.

I hope everybody has a wonderful week.

And guys, I'll see you guys in the gym soon.

But until next time, keep training, stay strong and remember, eat your protein.